William Alex Cooksey

April 6, 2020

William Alex Cooksey, a native of Holmes County, MS, and resident of Covington, LA, departed from this life on Monday, April 6, 2020, after an eight-month battle with metastatic cancer. Alex leaves behind his wife and “brown-eyed girl” of thirty-two years, the former Marilyn McLeod; daughter, Emma “Niki” Cooksey-Bel and husband, David, of Madisonville; son, William C. Cooksey of Covington; sister Pam Hicks (Jimmy) of Madison, MS; sister Paula Pepper (Butch) of Lexington, MS; brother Rex Cooksey (Dian) of Vancleve, MS; aunt Faye Higginbotham of LaVergne, TN; uncle George “Bub” Cooksey (Mary) of Ridgecrest, CA; great-aunt Doris Covington of Brandon, MS; and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins, all of whom he loved dearly. He is also survived by his two best friends and favorite hunting buddies, Lamar Ferrell of Lexington, MS and Joe Hendon of Vancleve, MS. He is predeceased by his parents, William T. “Sonny” and Peggy Cooksey. A farm boy from a young age, Alex served as a truck driver and a lumber yard worker for most of his adult life. His last job was for Abita Lumber, where he remained a valuable member of Abita Lumber work family, even after his medical leave. He enjoyed keeping his mind and hands active, which kept him out of (major) trouble, road trips to nowhere and anywhere, hunting near his cabin in Holmes County, fishing in the Yazoo or Big Black River, renovating his house, telling stories of the various characters he encountered in both Mississippi and Louisiana, listening to 70s and 80s music around-the-clock (much to his wife’s chagrin,) and the occasional sarcastic comment. A visitation will be held at Serenity Funeral Home, 20419 Highway 36, Covington, LA 70433 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic there will be a maximum of 6 people allowed in the chapel at one time. The plan is for Alex to return home to Holmes County and rejoin his parents and extended family members in burial at the Coxburg Methodist Cemetery, 4352 Coxburg Rd, Lexington, MS 39095 on a later date. A public Memorial to Celebrate His Life will be held on a later date. His surviving family and friends would like to extend a special thank you to Drs. James Carinder, Augustin Suarez, and Roy Saguiguit and their respective medical staff, as well as the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for the amazing care given to him in his final months. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”—Psalm 73:26 Arrangements entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home, Covington, LA. Condolences and tributes can be posted at www.serenitycovington.com